Safety fuel valve



'April 6,1954 1 BIGGLE 2,674,255

SAFETY FUEL VALVE Filed July 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l E LE CTFZOMAGNE'TCAI-LY O PERATED VALVE.

lfiUEE/VCE C. 5/6625,

- IN VEN TOR.

HTTOENEV April 6, 1954 Filed July 24, 1950 L. C. BlGGL-E SAFETY FUELVALVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fil/QE/VCE' C. BIGGZE,

INVENTOR.

HTZO/QNEV Patented Apr. 6, 1954 SAFETY FUEL VALVE Laurence C. Biggie,Altadena, Califi, assignor to General Controls 00., Glendale, Calif., acorporation of California Application July '24, 1950, Serial No. 175,638

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a valve for controlling the passage of fuel toa burner.

It has been common to provide a safety valve that can be maintained openonly while a pilot flame is in existence. In one form of such a safetyvalve, a thermocouple is utilized that is influenced by the heat of thepilot flame to generate electrical energy. This energy in turn serves toenergize an electromagnet that may hold an armature in attractedposition. The armature is mechanically connected to a safety valveclosure which is thus held in :open position while the electromagnet isenergized. As .soon as the pilot flame is extinguished, theelectromagnet is de energized and the closure moves to closed positionby gravity, or by the action of a spring.

since the energy generated by the thermocouple is minute, the mereignition of the pilot burner does not cause the electromagnet to openthe closure. Amanual re-setting operation isneces sary to bring thearmature into attracted position, and to hold it there for a shortinterval until the pilot flame is established and the electromagnet isenergized by the thermocouple.

This invention relates to .manual reset valves of this character; andone of the objects of this invention is to improve, in general, suchsafety manual safety valves.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple safety valvestructure in which .fiow of gas to the main burner is prevented untilthe pilot flame is lit and held in safe position.

It is another object of this invention to make it possible to place thesafety valve between the burner and the automatic main valve controlledby the thermostat, and :yet to provide complete gas interruption bothfor the main burner and the pilot burner when the pilot flame fails.This is accomplished in a simple manner and without the need ofextensive piping.

It is still another object of this invention to make it possible to usethe safety valve .in such manner that the pilot burner is supplied withgas from within the safety valve.

By the aid of the present invention, the manner of supplying fuel to thepilot burner :is quite flexible. It can, for example, be piped upstreamfrom the main burner .control valve without excessive piping; or .it canbe optionally supplied directly from the safety valve structure. Thesealternative arrangements may be effected even after installation.

The safety valve structure is especially useful for the control ofgasrangeoven'burners. By the aid of this invention, the safety valve canbe placed downstream from the thermostatically controlled main burnervalve, and yet without extensive gas piping.

It is another object of this invention to make it possible to operatethe valve in a simple manner for interrupting flow of fuel to the pilotburner, causing the thermogeneration to cease and drop out the mainvalve, thereby eliminating the need of an auxiliary pilot shutoff valve.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objectswhich may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of oneembodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown .a form inthe drawings accompanyin and forming part of the present specification.The form will now be described in detail, illustrating the generalprinciples of the invention; but it is to be understood that thisdetailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since thescope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is .a diagrammatic view of a system in which a safety valveincorporating the invention is utilized;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the safety valve incorporating the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken along a plane corresponding to line3-3 of Fig. 2, the valve being shown in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken alon a plane corresponding to line 4-4of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken along a plane corresponding to line 55of Fig. 3; and

Figs. 6- and 7 are views similar to Fig. 4, but illustrating differentpositions of the valve structure.

In the present instance, a main gas burner I (Fig. l) is illustrated,supplied through a conduit 2. In this conduit 2 is interposed anelectromagnetically operated valve 3 controlled, for example, by athermostat located in the space to be heated. This valve 3 is upstreamfrom the safety valve structure 4 also included in the conduit 2, as byaid of the short pipes I3 and Hi.

The passage of fuel to the main burner I is controlled by the safetyvalve structure 4. The safety valve structure 5 also controls passage offuel through a conduit 5 t the pilot burner 6.

The pilot burner flame i, when it is in existence,

ty valve structure 4, t conduct electrical energy to an electromagnetincorporated in valve 4.

As soon as the pilot flame l is extinguished, accidentally or otherwise,the thermocouple structure 8 no longer generates electrical energy, andthe safety valve structure 4 closes. Thi general type of safety system,ensuring interruption of fuel to the main burner upon pilot flamefailure, is generally old. The safety valve structure 4 is of novelform, and is shown to best advantage in Figs. 2 to 7, inclusive.

The safety valve structure 4 include a body I l (Figs. 3 and 5) having achamber l2 into which lead the inlet conduit l3 and the outlet conduitI4. The outlet conduit I4, in the form illustrated, is threaded into aboss l5 extending inwardly with respect to the chamber l2, and this bossis provided with a port I 6. An annular seat I! surrounds this port, andis adapted to be contacted by a valve closure structure including ayielding closure member I8. This closure member i3 is attached to adisc-like member l9 having an ear pivotally mounted on an arm 2|. Thisarm 2| is, in turn, attached to a stem 22 that extends upwardly, andthis is manipulable in a manner to be hereinafter described.

\ In the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5, the valve closure 18 isin closed position. In the phantom lines in this figure, the valveclosure is open, the stem 22 carrying the arm 2| having been rotated ina counterclockwise direction.

The valve body II is open at the top, and may be closed by a sheet metalplate 23 (Fig. 3). This sheet metal plate serves to support a bearingsleeve 24, through which the stem 22 projects, and in which this stem isrotatable.

A casing member 25 for enclosing an electromagnet structure 35, ismounted above the body H. It is provided with a base flange '25-,through which a plurality of machine screw 27 extend in order to attachthe casing 25 to the body II. A resilient gasket member 28 is interposedbetween the casing 25 and the body II in order to seal the structure.-

The stem 22 has a collar 29 (Fig. 3) adapted to rest upon bearing sleeve24. It also has a projection 30 of semi-circular form adapted tocooperate with a semi-circular extension 3i of an operating member 32.In this way, the member 32 is coupled to stem 22. The extensions 33 and3|, forming a complete cylinder, are rotatably supported in a boss 33formed integrally with one of the walls of the casing 25.

Rotation of the operating member 32 in a counterclockwise direction, asviewed in Fig. 5, accordingly rotates the stem 22 for opening the safetyvalve closure [8.

The operating member 32 is connected to a plate 34 made of non-magneticmaterial, and which serve to support an electromagnet structure 35located in the casing 25.

In order to connect the operating member 32 with the plate 34, the plate34 is provided with a pair of ears 36 and 31. The lower ear 3'! isappropriately attached to the operating member 32. The electromagnet isprovided with a pair of exposed pole faces 38 adapted to co-operate withan armature structure to be hereinafter described.

The upper ear 35 is provided with an aperture through which a manuallyoperable stem 39 extends. The lower end of this stem 39 is received in abearing aperture in the operator 32, and is coaxial therewith. A spring40 is disposed around the stem 39, and has one end 4| engaging the 4wall of casing 25. Its other end 42 is anchored in the ear 36.

The spring 40 urges the entire electromagnetic structure carried by theplate 34 in a clockwise direction. Since the plate 34 is coupled, b Wayof the operator 32 and stem 22, to the closure l8, this clockwiseangular movement; about the axis of the stem 39 serves to close thevalve. Binding post structures 42 are appropriately supported by thecasing 25, and serve to connect the electromagnet 35 with the leads 9and [0 (Fig. 1).

In order to move the electromagnet structure 35 in a counterclockwisedirection for opening the valve, there is provided an armature structureincluding an armature 44 adapted to cooperate with the polar faces 38.Magnetic attraction thus serves as a clutching means; and, when thearmature 44 is moved, the electromagnet structure 35 is correspondinglymoved. This armature structure is supported between the legs of .aU-shaped support or bracket 45 coupled to the stem 39. This isaccomplished, for example, by making the stem 39 non-circular, as byflattening one side thereof (Figs. 4, 6, and 7). The ears 41 of thisbracket 45 are provided with appropriate non-circular apertures to keythe bracket 45 to the stem 39. Washers 43 may be interposed between thecorresponding ears of the plate 34 and of the bracket 45.

The bracket 45 is urged resiliently in a counterclockwise direction bythe aid of the spring 49 disposed around the operating member 32. Oneend 50 of this spring is anchored to the lower side of the bracket 45.The other end 5| of the spring engages the interior of a wall of thecasing 25.

Accordingly, when the armature 44 is out of contact with the polar faces38, as shown in Fig. 4, the resilient means 40 and 49, respectively,urge the electromagnet structure 35 and armature structure 44 inopposite angular directions about the axis of stem 39. In this position,the safety valve is closed.

In order to open the safety valve structure, the knob 52 exterior ofcasing 25 (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) is utilized, and is manipulable by hand.This knob is attached to the stem 39, which is rotatably mounted in theboss 53 formed on the upper wall of casing 25.

In the position shown, the knob 52 may be turned in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. 2, to turn the stem 39 against the force ofspring 49, and thereby to move the armature 44 angularly intocooperative position with the electromagnet 35. In this position, thepilot flame 1 may be ignited. In a short time, the electromagnetstructure 35 is eifectively energized by the thermocouple 8 and the knob52 may be released. When it is released, the electromagnet structure 35and the armature 44 move to the position indicated in Fig. 6, theelectromagnet 35 being shown in phantom lines. In this position, thevalve closure l8 has moved from its seat to open the valve. Thismovement of both the electromagnetic structure and the armaturestructure is effected by the spring 49, which is purposely madesubstantially stronger than the spring 40. Accordingly, the movement ofthe armature 44 in a counterclockwise direction serves, as well, to movethe electromagnet structure 35 in the same direction.

When the pilot flame I fails, the electromagnet 35 is Clo-energized, andthe parts assume the position of Fig. 4, and the valve is closed by thespring .40.

' A yielding stop is provided to limit the counterclockwise movement ofthe armature structure 44, so that it comes to rest in the open positionof Fig. 6. This stop may be in the form of a leaf spring 76 attached tothe wall 15 of casing 25. This stop carries a button ll adapted to beengaged, as by the projection 18, on plate 34. The pin 19 positions thisstop so as to hold the electromagnet structure 35 in the valve openingposition shown in phantom lines in Fig. 6. The leaf spring structure isstrong enough to resist bending under the force of spring 45.

In the closed position of Fig. 4, the arrangement is such that supply offuel to the pilot burner 6 is also interrupted, and is permitted onlywhen the armature structure 44 is moved by knob 52 in a clockwisedirection.

For this purpose, a pilot valve structure is provided, including aplunger 55 slidably mounted in a bore in the wall of the casing 25. Thisplunger has a rounded inner end adapted to be operatively engaged by thearmature structure 44 when this structure is in the valve closedposition. In this closed position (Fig. 4), the plunger interruptscommunication between a straight port 56 extending horizontally of thecasing 25 and a vertical port 5'! that extends downwardly to communicatewith a horizontal port 56. This port 561s open at its opposite ends andprovided with internal threads 68 and 69. Either of these ends can bearranged as the output side; for example, the threads 68 may accommodatea coupling 59 for connection to the pilot burner conduit 5. The oppositethreaded end 65 can beconnected to intake end of the control valve 3 asby conduit 85. Thus the pilot burner 6 is supplied with gas from theupstream side of valve 3, and supply of gas is nevertheless controlledby the pilot valve structure incorporated in the safety valve.

The plunger 55 extends transversely above the port 51, and has a reducedportion 58, so that, in the position of Fig. 6, port 55 is uninterrupted, and port 51 is in communication therewith. In the arrangementillustrated, use may be made of port 56 to permit gas to flow from theupstream side of valve 3 via conduit 85, through uninterrupted port 55,and around the reduced portion 58, and then through the coupling 59 tothe conduit 5.

The plunger 55 is urged toward opening position by the aid of acompression spring 59. The inner end of this compression spring islocated in a recess formed in the right-hand end of plunger 55. Itsouter end is accommodated in a recess formed within a headless screw GIthreaded into the boss 62 formed on the casing 25. The head 63 of theplunger 55 is enlarged, and slides in the enlarged bore 64. This headlimits the inward movement of the plunger 55, as indicated in Fig. 6, bycontacting the shoulder between bore 64 and the bore 10.

Furthermore, the port 5'! extends downwardly into communication withinlet chamber it. It connects with a transverse port 66 (Fig. 3) that isclosed by a headless screw 67 threaded into the casing 25. Since thescrew 61 closes the port 51, supply of fuel to the pilot conduit 5 iseffected only via conduit 56. However, if desired, the screw 61 can bethreaded outwardly to open the port 51; in that case, a plug can be usedto close the threaded end 69, and conduit 85 is removed. The pilotburner 5 would then be supplied from inlet chamber 12. When so arrangedthe safety valve 4 must be placed upstream from the control valve 3, inorder to ensure that the pilot burner 6 will be supplied with fuelindependent of the operation of control valve 3.

When the knob 52 is moved in a clockwise direction from the closedposition, the plunger, 55 moves to the position of Fig. 6, therebycompleting supply of fuel to the pilot burner 5. This pilot burner 6 maythen be ignited. Continued movement of the armature structure in aclockwise direction will bring the armature M into contact with thepolar faces 38. In a short time,

the electromagnet 55 is energized sufficiently to.

hold the armature 44 in attracted position. The release of the manualknob 52 then permits the stronger spring :9 to move the armaturestructure and the electromagnet structure to the open position indicatedby the phantom lines in Fig. 6.

Should it be desired to close the system, knob 52 may be turned by arelatively strong force in a counterclockwise direction from theposition of Fig. 6 to assume the position of Fig. '7. This is permittedby the stop It, which can yield when a sufficient force is applied. Thiseffects closing of the pilot valve structure by inward movement of theplunger 55 to the position of Fig. '7. The pilot flame i is thusextinguished in a short time, and the electromagnet 35 is deenergized.permitting spring 49 to close the valve. The knob 52 may then bereleased and assume the closed position of Fig. 4.

The knob 52 may carry an arrow (Fig. 2) cooperating with the lines ii onthe casing 25 to indicate the position of the parts.

The inventor claims:

1. In combination: a first member capable of performing a controllingfunction; an operator for said first member; means guiding said firstmember and said operator for independent movement in a common path;resilient means urging said first member away from said operator andtoward a retracted position; resilient means urging said operator awayfrom said first member and toward a retracted position; a re-- leasablecoupling between said member and said operator; said resilient means forsaid operator being capable of moving said first member from itsretracted position when said coupling is operative; a second membercapable of performing an auxiliary controlling function, and cooperatingwith said operator when said operator is in said retracted position; andyielding stop means engageable with said first member, limiting movementof said operator and said first member, when coupled, to prevent returnof said operator to its retracted position.

2. In combination: a member capable of performing a controllingfunction; an operator for said member; means guiding said member andsaid operator for independent movement in a common path; resilienturging said memher away from said operator and toward a retractedposition; resilient means urging said operator away from said member andtoward a retracted position; a releasable coupling between said memberand said operator; said resilient means for said operator being capableof moving said member from retracted position when said coupling isoperative; an element capable of performing an auxiliary controllingfunction, and movable between two positions; resilient means biasingsaid element toward one position; means mounting said element in thepath of movement of said operator to its retracted posi-.

tion for engagement therewith and movement to its other position; andstop means engageable with said member, limiting movement of saidoperator and said member, when coupled, to prevent return of saidoperator to its retracted position and engagement with said auxiliaryelement.

3. In combination: a member capable of performing a controllingfunction; an operator for said member; means pivotally mounting saidmember and said operator about a common axis for independent movement ina common path; resilient means urging said member in an angulardirection away from said operator and toward a retracted position;resilient means urging said operator in an angular direction awa fromsaid member and toward a retracted position; a releasable couplingbetween said member and said operator; said resilient means for saidoperator being capable of moving said member from its retracted positionwhen said coupling is operative; an element capable of performing anauxiliary controlling function, and movable between two positions;resilient means biasing said element toward one position; means mountingsaid element in the path of movement of said operator to its retractedposition for engagement therewith and movement to its other position;and stop means engageable with said member,

limiting movement of said operator and said member, when coupled, toprevent return of said operator to its retracted position and engagementwith said element.

4. In a safety valve structure: a valve body having an inlet chamber anda valve seat; a main valve closure for the seat; means pivotallymounting said closure in said chamber on a shaft extending beyond saidchamber; a member coupled to said shaft and mounted for pivotal movementabout an axis coincident with said shaft; an operator for said member;means mounting said operator for pivotal movement about said axis, anddefining a path of movement of said operator common to that of saidmember; means resiliently urging said member angularly about said axisaway from said operator and toward a retracted position of said membercorresponding to main valve closing position; means resiliently urgingsaid operator angularly about said axis away from said member and towarda retracted position; means providing an electromagnetic couplingbetween said member and said operator; manually operable means connectedto said operator and mounted for angular movement about said axis, saidmanually operable means being operable to move said operator intoengagement with said member when said member is in retracted position;said electromagnetic coupling means, when energized, being capable ofholding said member for movement from its retracted position; saidresilient means associated with said operator exerting a greater forcethan said resilient means associated with said member, when said memberis in retracted position, for moving said member away from retractedposition; an auxiliary valve structure; an auxiliary control elementmovable between auxiliary valve opening and closing position; meansmounting said auxiliary control element in the path of movement of saidoperator toward its retracted position for engagement; therewith; meansbiasing said auxiliary control element toward one position correspondingto operator engaging position; yieldable stop means engageable with saidmember, limiting movement of said operator and said member, whencoupled, to prevent return of said operator to its retracted positionand engagement with said auxiliary control element; and an indicatorcarried by said manually operable means.

5. In a valve structure: a valve body having an inlet and an outlet; amain closure for controlling passage of fluid between said inlet andoutlet; means defining a port having ends opening exteriorly of saidbody; said valve body having means selectively connecting said port tosaid inlet; an auxiliary closure structure movable to obstruct saidport, as well as said connecting means; means biasing said auxiliaryclosure toward unobstructed position; means for operating said mainvalve, including a releasable coupling member movable between twopositions corresponding to main valve opening and main valve closingposition; means mounting said coupling member for engagement with saidauxiliary closure structure when said member is in main valve closingposition for movement of said auxiliary closure toward said obstructingposition.

6. In combination: a valve body having a valve seat; a closure structuremovable to a retracted position in which said closure structurecooperates with said seat for preventing flow of fluid through the valveseat, said closure structure being movable away from said retractedposition to permit flow of fluid through the valve seat; an operator forthe closure structure; means guiding said operator and said closurestructure for movement in a common path; means forming a supplementalsupply port; an auxiliary closure for said supply port; said auxiliaryclosure being movable between two positions to open or close saidsupplemental supply port; means resiliently urging said supplementalclosure to supplemental port opening position; a releasable couplingbetween said closure structure and said operator; resilient means urgingsaid closure structure toward said retracted position and urging saidoperator in a retracted position away from said closure structure; saidresilient means when said coupling is eflfective, urging said operatorand said structure in a direction away from the retracted position ofsaid closure structure and toward the retracted position of saidoperator; said operator being engageable with said supplemental closureto move said supplemental closure to supplemental port closing positiononly when said operator is substantially in fully retracted position;and stop means engageable with said closure structure, limiting movementof said operator and said closure structure, when coupled, to preventreturn of said operator to its full retracted position.

7. In a safety valve structure for a fuel burning device: a valve bodyhaving a valve seat; a safety closure structure for the seat andcontrolling flow of fluid through the valve body; an operator for saidclosure structure; said operator and said closure structure beingmovable independently in a common path; resilient means urging saidclosure structure toward valve closing position; resilient means urgingsaid operator away from said closure structure and toward a retractedposition; a releasable coupling between said closure structure and saidoperator; said resilient means for said operator when said coupling isoperative, being capable of moving said closure structure from valveclosing position; means forming an auxiliary fluid passage; an

element controlling said auxiliary fluid passage; means for moving saidelement to auxiliary fluid passage opening position upon movement ofsaid operator from retracted position, said operator moving said elementto auxiliary fluid passage closing position upon movement of saidoperator to substantially fully retracted position; and yielding stopmeans engageable with said closure structure for limiting movement ofsaidv operator and said closure structure, when coupled normally toprevent return of said operator to its fully retracted position, saidoperator being manipulatable to overcome said yielding stop means tomove said operator to its fully retracted position.

8. In combination: a member capable of performing a controllingfunction; an operator for said member; means guiding said member andsaid operator for independent movement in a common path; a releasablecoupling between said member and. said operator; resilient means urgingsaid member and said operator apart toward retracted positions,respectively; said resilient means, when said operator and said memberare coupled, urging said operator and said member in a direction awayfrom the retracted position of said member and toward the retractedposition of said operator; a yielding abutment engageable with saidmember for normally preventing movement of said member and said operatorwhen coupled to the fully retracted position of said operator; and anelement capable of performing an auxiliary controlling function; meansfor moving said element to one position upon movement of said operatorfrom retracted 10 position and to another position upon movement of saidoperator to retracted position.

9. In combination: a member capable of performing a controllingfunction; an operator for said member; means guiding said member andsaid operator for independent movement in a common path; an elementcapable of performing an auxiliary controlling function and movablebetween two positions; a releasable coupling between said member andsaid operator and dependent upon a condition that may exist only whensaid element is in one position; resilient means urging said member andsaid operator apart toward retracted positions, respectively; saidresilient means, when said coupling is effective, urging said operatorand said member in a direction away from the retracted position of saidmember and toward the retracted position of said operator; means formoving said element to said one position upon movement of said operatorfrom retracted position and to the other position upon movement of saidoperator to retracted position; and a yielding abutment engageable withsaid member for normally preventing movement of said member and saidoperator when coupled to the retracted position or" said operator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Re.23,07'7 Ray Jan. 11, 1949 2,290,108 Mantz July 14, 19%22,a8l,265 Van Denberg et a1. Sept. 6, 1949

